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Chapter 8: "Madder Then A Box Of Frogs."

The portrait closed softly behind Nikki, glancing behind herself as she walked slowly into the gryffindor common room. She was caught unaware when someone grabbed her shoulders and quickly steered her over to a chair in front of the fire. Once the person rounded in front of her, she was a bit put off. The dark look that covered his face was more pronounced then she had ever seen it, including the time when Professor Lockhart 'healed' the arm that a rogue bludger had injured. For the first time in her 6 years at Hogwarts, she was scared.

"Where is she?" He demanded as he pushed his face into hers.

"Who are you looking for Harry?" Nikki could only hope that he did not notice the involuntary shudder that crept down her spine as the furious look on his face grew even darker, if that was possible.

"You know damn well who I am bloody looking for." He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her, just barely lifting her small five-foot frame out of the chair he had forced her into. "Tell me where in hell Ginny is."

"No. What are you going to do? Hit me? Nice boy like you, you're only a foot taller then me. Oh wait I forgot, you are more then a foot taller then me. Go ahead and do your best; no one will blame the wondrous Harry effing Potter. After all, I'm just a bit of a girl that wouldn't tell you something because you were acting like a raging hormonal maggot that is madder then a box of frogs." She could not control what was coming out of her mouth, she was pissed and Harry was not helping the situation. "Grow up Harry."

"Wait! I'm sorry Nicole. I was a right gimp and I am sorry for that, but I'm worried about Gin. She doesn't know what she is getting into."

"SHE doesn't know? Bollocks Harry. You haven't a bloody clue what goes on in her head. Then again, you haven't a clue what goes on with Ginny period. You never have. If you can't figure out what is going on then you deserve to lose her to the great sodding prat that you think Draco is." Nikki stood and turned toward the girls dorms.

"I do know what goes on with Ginny. I know better then Ron does." Harry spoke so softly, she almost did not hear him.

"What are you talking about Harry? I doubt you know what color her eyes are or what her favourite class is."

"Her favourite is Charms, she hopes to be a curse breaker or go into research. Her eyes are brown, but that isn't completely right either. Sometimes they are so dark they look black, yet other times, like when she is having a major row the burn like honey in the sunlight."

Nikki's jaw dropped. "But why then have you been a right pillock and ignored her all this time? Why didn't you just ask her out?"

"I was waiting for the right time. But I guess she got tired of waiting for me." Harry sighed and collapsed on the oversized chair that Nikki had vacated. "I just worry about her. I know she looks like she has fun with ferret face, but he can't be trusted. He probably already took the dark mark for all we know. I just want her safe, which is why I have never approached her. She would only be in greater danger if she was with me."

"Harry, he doesn't have the mark. He refused; he hates his father about as much as Ginny does, if not more. You have to tell her Harry. She deserves to know."

"I know but I can't tell her. She'll think I am just trying to use her crush on me to get her away from Malfoy."

"Fine then. But quit asking me for information, I refuse to be a go between or to nark on my friend." She ran up the stairs, threw her stuff onto her bed, and laid there thinking about everything she had just learned.

Her first reaction was to think that Gin was going to have a hissy-cow when she found out, but she quickly realized that she was no longer sure of what Gin would do, or how she felt. She could take a flying leap of faith, but it would not have to be much of a leap to realise that Ginny would not be happy. The sooner she found out the better.

Nikki got up off her bed, squared her shoulders and headed back to Draco's room. There was not much time before supper started, but hopefully there would be enough to get her friend away from Draco so that she could tell Ginny what Harry said in private. She really did not have any hope that things would go well if she was forced to tell Ginny in front of Draco.

Looking up into Draco's steely eyes, Ginny had to consciously try not to flinch at what she saw hidden deep in their depths. If she were inclined to flights of fantasy, she would have been wanted to say she saw a rage hotter then the lava that had once flowed over the muggle city of Pompeii. Seeing as she was not inclined to anything of the sort she just told herself that she was imagining things; he had no reason to be that mad…and if it is wasn't rage, but some other emotion that could burn a person from the inside? Ginny was completely unsure of how she had gotten into this position. All she wanted was to clear the air and get some things settled between her and Draco. She just wanted not to be confused by him or herself any longer.

'A simple conversation was that too much to ask for. How did it all turn to shite so quickly?' Ginny growled as she stalked around the room. "All I am asking is that you not lie to me. If I ask you something and you don't want to answer just say so. Say, I don't want to answer or what ever just don't lie. Is it really that hard? Honestly Draco, I have answered everything you have asked me so far as best I could but I don't have all the answers." She sat heavily on the edge of his bed next to him. "I don't even have all the answers I ask of myself." The last she muttered so quietly he almost missed it.

"What do you mean you don't have all the answers that you ask of yourself? Who else would have those answers?"

"It's hard to know for sure when half the time I don't even know what I am thinking."

"How can you not know what you're thinking? It is your head."

"Do you always know what you're thinking? At all times?"

"Well of cou…"

"Don't lie."

"But I was going to say th…" he was interrupted by a knock at the portrait. Grumbling as he stood up he opened the entrance to admit a flushed Nikki.

"Ginny I need to talk to you. It's kind of important." Nikki blurted out as soon as she had dragged in a deep enough breath.

"Can't it wait? I'm not done talking with Draco. I said I would catch up with you at dinner. Can you wait until then?"

"Um actually it might affect the rest of your talk, so I would rather have it out now if you don't mind."

"Fine, just hurry up then."

"Can we go somewhere else?"

"If it may possibly affect the outcome of this conversation, shouldn't I get the courtesy of hearing what it is about?" Draco drawled from his position on his bed.

Nikki groaned she had been afraid that this would happen. "I think you might prefer to not hear this from me."

"I think I would prefer to hear it now. I am not a patient man." Draco gritted out between his teeth and the short brunette in front of him.

"Fine keep being a flippin' prat. You will regret it once I am done talking." Nikki flung herself into the armchair glaring at Draco. "I just talked to Harry in the common room…" She related the conversation in its entirety to them. Rolling right over both of them, anytime either opened their mouth to ask a question or make a comment. Allowing for no interruptions, she was able to get through her recital quickly and stood to go as soon as she finished. "There. Now you both know what happened and what was said. You may finish your conversation, Gin I'll see you at dinner."

Silence descended in the room after the exit of Ginnys friend. The occupants of the room just stared at each other for long moments. No movement could be detected, they were barely breathing, just staring at each other. Ginny felt a familiar sting in her eyes as she watched Dracos face resume its normal stony front. Heart breaking and not quite sure why it was, she did what she does best. She yelled.

"DON'T YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT IT DRACO MALFOY. I have not spent this much time with you just to have you close up on me now. You cannot go back to who you were. You can't go back to being cold and hard. I won't allow it."

"You have no say over it. You got what you wanted. Harry fucking Potter is practically at your beck and call. You have no use for me any more. No reason for you to keep coming here or to keep bothering me. You can go back to all your gryffy little friends and have a fucking bloody ball for all I care. Just get out of my sight before you make me sick." He turned away, as if he could not stand to look at her anymore. Sneer firmly in place as if he smelled something bad.

"No. I'm not leaving."

"What?"

"I said, I am not leaving. No matter what Nikki said about Harry, it doesn't change anything between us."

"Yes it does you stupid little girl. It is everything you have been plotting for."

"True, but maybe it isn't what I want anymore. I will not give up on you Draco. I see something there and I do not want to lose it. Even if you do." Ginny grabbed her things and headed out the door tears running freely down her cheeks. Pausing in front of Draco she said, "You know where to find me, if you decide you don't want to give this up either."

She leaned in and placed a soft chaste kiss on his lips before running out the door. That one tear filled kiss shook him more then all of the past kisses they had shared.

A/N: Terribly sorry that this chapter is a bit short, but I promise to make it up for you in the next. Speaking of which, Chapter 9 will have (finally) a discussion between Ginny and Harry. Maybe some more fighting, and of course, my favourite, FOOD! Hee hee.

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed. Coldflamez: (I actually have not put as much thought as it seems into Draco. He just came this way. ); Keeperofthepineneedles; holly; moonpixi: (Well here is some of what Harry thinks. You asked right before I got to him.); Felton118; elf grrl: (And I thank you and your Charm. Now gimmie an update to one of your stories. We can trade.  ) And Of course much loves to Aurora Rezanya for the amazingly quick beta again!

Stay Tuned for more of the action packed (or should that be drama?) adventures of Ginny and the greatest prat alive! Tootles all!